Turn-button for electric switches.



H. E. LEPPERT. I

TURN BUTTON FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED 00129. 1904.

wbchtdz f/en r yile a ierl ,PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

UN T D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY LEPjPERT, on NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, AssIcNoR To THE HART MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or HARTFORD, CON ECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT;

- URN-BUTTCN FOR ELECTRIC, swrrcnns.

Patented Dec, 17, 1907.

Application filed October 29. 1904. 4 Serial No. 230,460. I

To all whom itmay concern: v Be it known that I, HENRY E. LEPPERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford, State of.

5 Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn-Buttons for Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to turn buttons for electric switches and particularly to certain improved features of construction over those set forth in United States Letters-Patent No.

578,695 of March 9, 1897.- w

'The object of the invention, is to-simplify and render more economical th manufactlire of such devices.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a vertical section of my improved turnbutton, certain parts being partly in elevation. Fig. 2is a View of the innerv end of the turn button; the spindle, spring and spindle retainer being reftioved. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the spindle shell. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the spindle or spindle head partly in section. Fig. 5 isan end elevation of the spindle retainer. i

1 is a handle or turn button which may be I of any suitable design and which is preferably formed from insulating material.

2 is the spindle head by which the handle may be detachabl y secured to the well known centerpost or spindle of a switch. 2 represents in dotted outline the threaded end of a portionv of said center post. 2 is a shoulder or abutment formed on the spindle head 2, the

same preferably being of hexagonal outline.

3 is a shell, the cross-sectional outline of the bore of which may so correspond to the outline of the shoulder 2 on the spindle head,

that when the s shell 3 itmay sli e longitudinally but will not turn independently thereof. In the external surface of the she'll 3 nibs or indentations 3 may beformed to afford anchorages for the material of the button 1 which is preferably molded around said shell. 0 c 4 is a spring located outside of the spindle head 2.

- is a retaining piece preferably in the form v of a washer having a groove therein formed at an angle with the face of the washer as best seen in Fig. '1 and arranged to receive' the edge 3 of the shell 3.

. In assembling the parts the handle 1 is prefab tment 2 at one C 7 ing the function of an abutment as well as a spri are provi.

ti-oned patent.

Obviously the angle'of the annular groove.

indle 2 is inserted into the.

turn button-or key, a'cavity therein 'slidable therein,

I erably molded around the shell 3; the spindle head 2 is inserted and the spring 4 slip ed into lace. The retainin member -5- is t on final y applied. Obvious y, when the memher 5 is. ushed downon the edge 3 of-said shell-,sai

edge will'be expanded or forced outwardly so as tofollow the groove and form in effect a rivet which firmly unites the-parts. Th spring 4 takes u a a nst the shoulder or n5, the latterperform retaining member. The .tendency of the 4 is "to normally. hol'd'the spindle 'head 2 in t e position shown in'Fig. 1.

screwed down on the center post, 2 until it takes a firm seat. Usually'the length ofjthe center post 2 is such that the s in will not be seated thereon is, applied, the handle 1 will encounter the cover before said s seated: The result is that any further rotation of the turn button will causethe spindle head 2 to advance in the handle 1, thus putting said spring 4 under compression and Y holding the handle snugly against the outer wall of-the cover;

In theldrawings I havenot illustrated the switch cover or the details of the switch because the same are well understood and may,

be seen uponreference to the above-men:

in the retainer 5 might be reversed if desired.

7 en the. turn buttonis attachedtb the switch, it is le lhead2 unti the spring is a under sli ht tensionbf Ordinarily switches od-with covers (as shown in the aforesaid patent) and whenthe turn button,

indle head is entirely Thewasher 5 might alsobe made of two pieces instead of one asshown- What I claim is 2-,- I

1 Ina device of the character described, a

and extending only partially through the same, a spindle head' slidable in said cavity and means to prevent the ingependent rotation ;of said key and spindle ead, an abutment pn the inner endof said spindle head, a second abutment at the inner end of said key, a

spring located between said abutments and around said spindlehead. 2.. In a devlce of the character described, a

fixed within said cavity, a spindle head .105' turn button or key, "a cavity therein, a shell means for preventing the independent rotation of said shell and spindle head,-a shoulder or abutment on said spindle head within said shell, a second shoulder or" abutment secured to the outer end of said shell and forming an inwardly projecting shoulder or abutment, a spring between said abutments acting to press said spindle head into said key.

3. In a device of the character described, a turn button or key, a shell flied therein, a passage in said shel l of angular cross-section, a spindle head longitudinally movable in said shell, an abutment at the inner end of said spindle head of an outline corresponding to the cross-sectional outline of the'interior of said shell, a second abutment or shoulder projecting inwardly from said shell and a spring arranged-between said abutments and normally pressing said spindle head into' said shell.

4. in a deviceot the character described, a key, a cavity therein, a shell anchored in said cavity against independent movement relatively to the key, a spindle head longitudinally movable in said shell but held against indeperulent rotation relatively thereto, an outwardly projectingshoulder or abutment on said spindle head at or near its inner end, an inwardly projecting shoulder or abutment on said shell at or near its outer end, an expansion spring arranged between said spindle head and shell, the ends of said springengaging said abutments and normally projecting said spindle head into said shell.

5. in a device of the character described, a handle. or key, a cavity therein, a shell fixed in said cavity, a spindle head longitudinally movable in said shell, an outwardly extending abutment at the inner end of said spindle head, a retaining device for said spindle head secured to the outer edge of said shell and forming an inwardly )rojecting shoulder relatively thereto of sma ler diameter than the shoulder on said spindle head, a spring located. between said shoulder on the spindle head and said retaining member.

\ 6. In a device of the character described, a

turn button or key, a cavity therein, a spindle head slidable in said cavity and means to prevent the independent rotation of'said key and spindle head, an abutment projecting outwardly from the inner end of said spindle head, a second al utmentpro-v jecting inwardly "from said button or key forming a passage of less diameter than the diameter of? the abutment on said spindle head, a spring located between said abutportion, a shell embedded therein and having an angular rejection with an external notch for interloc pin with the body portion, an abutment washer mounted in the body portion at the entrance to the shell, a spindle adapted to extend through the opening in said abutment'inember, an enlarged head on the inner end oi said spindle, and a spring engaging said head and the rear of said abutment member.

9.,A switch handle, comprising a bodyportion, a cavity in the lower side thereof, a spindle extending into said cavity, means for holding the spindle. from rotation relatively to the body-portion, the diameter of the intermediate portion of the spindle being less than the diameter of the cavity to afford room for a spring, an abutment member at the entrance to said cavity, a spring engaging at one end against said abutment and at the other end operating to force the spindle inwardly, said abutment centering and guiding the exposed end vof,said spindle.

10. A switch handle, comprising a bodyportion of insulating material, a cavity in the lower side thereof, a metallic lining therefor, a spindle slidable in said cavity, means for holding said spindle from rotation relatively thereto, an abutment at the entrance to said cavity and reducing the diameter thereof, said abutment being secured to said lining, the body of the spindle being reduced to a diameter less than the diameter of the cavity in which it is located,

a spring around said reduced body-portion, said spring bearing at one end against said abutment and operating at the other end to i'orce'said spindle into said cavity, said abut ment operating .to center and guide the eX- 1 posed end of the spindle. I I Signed at Hartford Conn-this 25,.day of Oct. 1904.

' HENRY E. LEPPERT. \Vitnesses G. W. ll'ART, EDWARD TAYLOR. 

